Current Lunar Phases as Viewed From Four Sides

Lunar Hemispheric Phase Explorers - HD Edition Current Lunar Phases as Viewed From Above the Four Hemispheres Near Side, Far Side, Western and Eastern Hemispheres Lunar Phase Computations via DE405 Program and Graphics by Jay Tanner of Waterloo, NY, USA - 2026
Current Geocentric Lunar Coordinates, Distance and Phase Based on the NASA/JPL DE405 Ephemeris Model Working Date UD = 2026 May 01 - Fri Working Time UT = 21:34:59 Astronomical JD TT = 2461162.40016557 Right Ascension = 14.6355585 hr = 14h 38m 08.011s Declination = -20.287414 deg = -20° 17' 14.69" Distance = 402373.047 km = 250023.020 mi Phase Angle = 181.950 deg REFRESH Page to Update Statistics and Images to Current Date and Time CLICK On Any Hemispheric Image For a Full HD View In a New Tab
N Current Near Side View Standard Geocentric Earth View Sans Librations Geocentric Phase: 182°	N Current Far Side View Behind the Moon Looking Back Earth is Directly Behind Moon Relative Phase: 2°
N Current West (Left) Side View Centered Over Western Hemisphere Earth is Directly to the Right Relative Phase: 92°	N Current East (Right) Side View Centered Over Eastern Hemisphere Earth is Directly to the Left Relative Phase: 272°

Download PHP Source Code and Graphics For This Program Approx: 942 MB - Public Domain
LUNAR HEMISPHERIC PHASE EXPLORERS - HD EDITION FOR LARGE MONITORS DEVELOPED USING AN ULTRA-WIDE (2560 x 1920) HD MONITOR Author : Jay Tanner Revised : 2017-2025 Language : PHP v5.6.11 - v8.2.12 All lunar images in this program were rendered by LUNEX For POV-Ray v3.7. POV-Ray is the free, open-source 3D ray-tracing software used to render the lunar phase images. https://www.povray.org ############################################################################## This program displays shaded lunar phase simulations of the four lunar hemispheres based on the NASA/JPL DE405 ephemeris model and lunar surface map composed from Clementine imaging and a digital elevation model (DEM) derived from the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) altimetry data. On initial startup, the current phases are computed using the NASA/JPL DE405 ephemeris model spanning the 600-year period from 1600 to 2200, referred to the true equinox and ecliptic of the date. Refreshing the page updates the geocentric phases and ephemeris statistics for the current date and UTC. Although the images appear like photographs, they are computer-generated simulations based on NASA data and the phase shading computed from actual solar and lunar positions at the moment of computation, simulating reality very closely. There are 4 sets of lunar surface maps centered on the front side, far side, eastern and western hemispheres which can be viewed at any relative phase from 0 to 360 degrees. The images are 1500x1500 PNG images on transparent backgrounds covering the entire lunar surface. In terms of 3D perspective, all the hemispheric phase images are as viewed from the same mean geocentric distance of 238857 mi (384403 km) through a virtual telescope. Imagine the moon at the center of a circle with the sun moving around it from 0 to 360 degrees in a clockwise direction. The position of the sun on this phase circle is the simple lunar phase angle. The new moon is at zero degrees with the sun behind the moon, progressing clockwise from there and cycling through all the lunar phases from 0 to 360 degrees. Given the geocentric ecliptical longitudes of the sun and moon at the same moment, the simple lunar phase angle at the same moment can be computed to sufficient visual precision from the simple algorithm given below. A SIMPLE LUNAR PHASE ANGLE ALGORITHM -------------------------------------------------------- Let: Ls = Geocentric Ecliptical Longitude Of Sun (0 to 360°) Lm = Geocentric Ecliptical Longitude Of Moon (0 to 360°) PA = Geocentric Lunar Phase Angle (0 to 360°) Then: a = 360 − Lm + Ls if (a > 360) {a = a − 360} PA = 360 − a or: a = 360 − Lm + Ls PA = 360 − a −= (a > 360)? 360:0 ------------------------------------------------- RELATIVE PHASE ANGLES (NORTH IS UPWARD) ------------------------------------------------- PA Relative Phase Direction of Illumination ----- --------------- ------------------------- 0 New Moon = 360 Illuminated from behind 45 Waxing Crescent 90 First Quarter Illuminated from right 135 Waxing Gibbous 180 Full Moon Illuminated from front 225 Waning Gibbous 270 Last Quarter Illuminated from left 315 Waning Crescent 360 New Moon = 0 Illuminated from behind -------------------------------------------------
Program and Graphics by Jay Tanner